Low crowds for recent metal tours...

[AngraRULES]

In retrospect, this is really putting pressure on me to go to Friday's Saxon show. XD Methinks I should drag my husband!

Make sure you get there early and support Borealis.

 

[AngraRULES]

You must have . Suppose I didnt tell you I got married as well?

Last I heard you were engaged! Give me a call one of these days bro. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

 

[Matt Crooks]

A couple of quick thoughts...

Firewind has never drawn a good crowd on tour in the US.

Saxon was packed 10 years ago, and since it's a weekend at Jaxx, it should be packed again this time.

For those with kids, the choice of spending time with them or going to a club to see a show, a lot of them will choose to spend time with the kids. Also, if your kids get up at 6am every day, even going to a weekend show can be a tall order, getting home at 2am and then getting up with the little ones at 6am.

For me, I have to pick and choose which shows I go to... not because of the monetary cost, but because of the cost of lost sleep, and because it's not fair to consistently leave my wife home with the child, she has to do that enough when I travel for work.

 

[mëtålspëd]

Last I heard you were engaged! Give me a call one of these days bro. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

PM me your number

 

[Metal_Camden]

For those with kids, the choice of spending time with them or going to a club to see a show, a lot of them will choose to spend time with the kids. Also, if your kids get up at 6am every day, even going to a weekend show can be a tall order, getting home at 2am and then getting up with the little ones at 6am.

For me, I have to pick and choose which shows I go to... not because of the monetary cost, but because of the cost of lost sleep, and because it's not fair to consistently leave my wife home with the child, she has to do that enough when I travel for work.

Then if the older people can't go now-a-days to live shows, breed your children into successful people that like metal. That way they can start early and support the next generation of bands to try and make it

Their allowances will start paying for their tickets to see their favorite bands, so breed them to listen to good music!

 

[Rezz]

Sheer quantity of choice. So many shows are going on now that on any given night I can choose between three, four, or more shows.

I wish I had that problem. I live in a second-tier market and almost nobody comes through here. There are usually 1 or 2 good shows per year here, all the rest bypass us in favor of Seattle. It takes me 5 hours to drive to Seattle, plus gas, food, hotel, tickets, etc. It isn't cheap. I've made it over just once this year for Symphony X, and I'm hoping to go over for Judas Priest, but that isn't a sure thing yet.

 

[Diabolik]

for me to miss a show it will fall under these reasons.....


- weekday show. I work nights so I have to use a vacation day to get the night off so it has to be a really cool show or something like a one of a kind show that will make me want to use vacation days on.

- line up. If there is like 6 bands playing and only the headliner I like or one of the bands playing before.....it will detour me from wanting to go and sit there all night. I know I can come late but I dont feel like going out at 10 PM if I am home all day relaxing to see 1 band.

- start times....the biggest killer in Chicago is this. I know it isnt even with just metal shows here. I have talked to different people who go to shows and they say the same thing....once it turns midnight here people will leave. Either to go out to a bar or just home. I have seen mass amounts of people leave shows for big acts because it was getting late. Weekday late start times are even more of a killer. Destruction / Heathen played here on a thursday night and the show got out at 2:15 AM. Half the crowd was gone in the middle of Destruction. No reason for a show to go that late. People work or have to get up early the next day.

- too many shows....beleive it or not I get sick of going to shows once in a while....sometimes too much of a good thing gets old. I have had times where there is like 4 shows in an 8 to 9 day run. Having other hobbies and things to do will also make me have to miss shows.

I am sure most people can agree on these. There can really be no real reason....I have seen shows where you would think it would be packed but ends up only being a quarter filled and shows that you would think would be empty will be more crowded.

 

[DemonOfTheWoods]

I really hate when people say things like "It's only $30". For many of us, $30 is not cheap. When people I know act like that ("You had no reason to miss that show. It was only $30") I want to say "Well if it's only $30, how about you buy me a ticket?" Of course, they never do.

I used to catch every show that came through the MD/DC/NoVA area. Now I've gotta be very picky about what shows I go. Missed Firewind @ Jaxx last night because I had to choose between Firewind on Tuesday or Devin Townsend tonight. I'm going to Devin because I haven't seen him since 2005 & haven't listened to anything Firewind has done since Allegiance. It sucks not being able to support everyone. This month in particular I gotta be very picky- I gotta choose between Sabaton on 10/17 and Dream Theater on the same night. Sabaton is cheaper & I've seen them twice. I've seen Dream Theater 8 times & as much as I don't want to miss DT w/ Mangini, I'll be at Sabaton cuz it's more affordable. Plus there is still Saxon, Blaze Bayley (the show I'm MOST excited about), and 1 or 2 more that I'm drawing a blank on at the moment. I think in 2010 the only shows I went to were ProgPower and Thor (yes, as in Jon Mikl Thor). ProgPower is really the only show I can plan on going to every year. Every other show/tour that comes through I gotta play it by ear.

I completely lost what I was getting at with this post. Oh well.

 

[johnfrank1970]

For me, I have to pick and choose which shows I go to... not because of the monetary cost, but because of the cost of lost sleep, and because it's not fair to consistently leave my wife home with the child, she has to do that enough when I travel for work.

You are no Matt Johnsen of Pharaoh. Or maybe Beth is no Nancy.

 

[TychoCelchu]

The low-high price threshold for me is $20. If a ticket is below $20, it's usually not a factor in whether I decide to go. Above $20 and I ask myself if it's worth it. $30 is a lot for a local show that isn't a fest.
Any band that I'd have to pay above $40 for needs to be on my "lifetime checklist" and I'll usually just do it once.
Only stuff like ProgPower is good enough for me to pay above $100.

 

[skyrefuge]

How about one enormous reason that I've only seen peripherally mentioned in this thread: SMALL FANBASES == SMALL TURNOUTS.

I think it's safe to say that a certain subset (call it T%) of a band's fans in a city will turn out for a concert, while the rest will stay home for any of the reasons already mentioned in this thread. (you can define "fans" any way you like: people who bought their album, listen to them on the radio, "like" them on Facebook, have a tattoo, etc., but keep it constant). Then the question becomes:

Is the turnout percentage substantially lower for this sub-genre of metal than it is for any other genre of music? For example, if T% of Matisyahu fans go to a Matisyahu concert and (T+3)% of Mastodon fans go to a Mastodon concert, do only (T-20)% of Firewind fans go to a Firewind concert?

If not, if a "normal" percentage of Firewind fans DO got to a Firewind concert, then the question about concert turnout isn't at all interesting, because it's really just asking "why aren't more people fans of Firewind?"

So is there any hard support for a claim that a smaller percentage of fans show up for European melodic metal concerts than other genres? One possibility already raised along those lines is that fans of European melodic metal skew older than fans of other genres, and I can believe that 'T' and fanbase-age have an inverse relationship. But even then, maybe those older people should no longer be included in the roster of "fans" and should be labeled "former fans" instead.

Neil

 

[DuchessOfDork]

I want to say "Well if it's only $30, how about you buy me a ticket?" Of course, they never do.

That's a lie and you know it.

See you Monday?

 

[Harvester]

But even then, maybe those older people should no longer be included in the roster of "fans" and should be labeled "former fans" instead.

Neil

 

[labrekk]

The low-high price threshold for me is $20. If a ticket is below $20, it's usually not a factor in whether I decide to go. Above $20 and I ask myself if it's worth it. $30 is a lot for a local show that isn't a fest.
Any band that I'd have to pay above $40 for needs to be on my "lifetime checklist" and I'll usually just do it once.
Only stuff like ProgPower is good enough for me to pay above $100.

Reading the posts, I realize that a lot of shows seem to still be at $20 or under in the US. Here in Quebec, Canada, when it's under $30, we are lucky. That's why I mentioned that $25 to $30 was "cheap".

Hell, a kinda "local" band who reformed after 25 years (SWORD) wanted to charge $45 to see them in a club here at the end of September. Finally, the show was cancelled. I don't know if it was because of the lack of sales, but as for me, as much as a Sword fan I can be, I'll never pay $45 to see them, when I see European bands like Firewind, Primal Fear, Saxon, Hammerfall and the likes for about $30...

 

[johnfrank1970]

possibility already raised along those lines is that fans of European melodic metal skew older than fans of other genres, and I can believe that 'T' and fanbase-age have an inverse relationship. But even then, maybe those older people should no longer be included in the roster of "fans" and should be labeled "former fans" instead.

Awesome post as usual, until you wrote this. If one has to see a band live (and actually see them each time they are in town, right?) to be a fan of the band, then I am a fan of exactly zero bands. Anyone want to buy 1600 CDs? :Spin:

 

[Diamond45]

Firewind and Saxon are 2 excellent bands that give great live performances and it's a shame the metal crowd is not attending their shows in higher numbers. I mean, we all know that CDs are not selling too well these days, if these European bands come over here to tour and get noone to attend, someday, they won't tour over here at all.

Interesting you post this today. I saw Firewind at Jaxx (Springfield, VA near Washington, DC) just last night. This year and last year the crowd for Firewind was pathetically low. Maybe 40 or 50, and that's pushing it.

When Sabaton played there with Accept this past spring, the place was almost full (a couple hundred or so) and I expect something close to that this coming Monday when they play there again.

I'm saddened by the lack of crowds for shows. Is it because of the economy? Lack of promotion? Bands playing during the week? Or that people are not following metal bands as they were a few years ago?

Jaxx did recently do an overhaul on their website to make it look like a professional did it, not a second grader. But in the process it lost it's charm and it's a pain to use. Just doesn't have the old charm and feel (and all the shows on a single page).

Also, Jaxx added several local bands to the bill that were outside the genre of the main band. Firewind is pure power metal, but the opening bands (with the exception of one) were death/thrash metal. One was an old school Iron Maiden clone (which was pretty good) but the rest I could have done without.

Gus G did say that even though the crowd was small in number that we were very enthusiastic and encouraged them to play as if they were playing to a huge crowded stadium and they intend on coming back when they go on tour again. But how long can a band like that keep it up? Or a venue? I'm sure both Jaxx and Firewind lost money last night.

Saxon plays on Friday (I may or may not go) and Sabaton plays on Monday (I'll be there no matter what). I'll see how the crowds are at those shows.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Jaxx did recently do an overhaul on their website to make it look like a professional did it, not a second grader. But in the process it lost it's charm and it's a pain to use. Just doesn't have the old charm and feel (and all the shows on a single page).

They also constantly misspell, never have the shows updated, and leave out bands altogether. I STILL have no idea if we're the only ones playing before Sabaton.

Also, Jaxx added several local bands to the bill that were outside the genre of the main band. Firewind is pure power metal, but the opening bands (with the exception of one) were death/thrash metal. One was an old school Iron Maiden clone (which was pretty good) but the rest I could have done without.

I'll be the first person to complain about that, but yanno what? There are so few area bands who can sell 50 tickets and aren't death/thrash/black/kiddie-growl metal.

Saxon plays on Friday (I may or may not go) and Sabaton plays on Monday (I'll be there no matter what). I'll see how the crowds are at those shows.

 

[TheLongshot]

So, speaking of low attendance.. anyone wanna stop that trend and attend the Sabaton show at Jaxx this Monday!? LOL

Seriously, I got some tickets to sell if anyone wants them. >_>

PM me. It is my birthday and I want to see Sabaton.

BTW, the Sabaton show is going to have a lot of problems because Dream Theater plays the same night. Why is it that these shows always seem to conflict?

Firewind has never drawn a good crowd on tour in the US.

I wonder how many outside of our group have even heard of Firewind.

For those with kids, the choice of spending time with them or going to a club to see a show, a lot of them will choose to spend time with the kids. Also, if your kids get up at 6am every day, even going to a weekend show can be a tall order, getting home at 2am and then getting up with the little ones at 6am.

Personally, I spend time with my kid all the time. Occasionally, I need to get out. As for the 6am things. 1) he takes after me in that he's not a morning person 2) my wife has taken that job on herself because she is a morning person.

Then if the older people can't go now-a-days to live shows, breed your children into successful people that like metal. That way they can start early and support the next generation of bands to try and make it

Their allowances will start paying for their tickets to see their favorite bands, so breed them to listen to good music!

Problem there being having a wife who worries about her kid (and her husband) keeping their hearing. I actually do take him to ProgDay for that reason. Think is, being 5, he doesn't care so much for that right now.

 

[Metal_Camden]

Problem there being having a wife who worries about her kid (and her husband) keeping their hearing. I actually do take him to ProgDay for that reason. Think is, being 5, he doesn't care so much for that right now.

Buy some earplugs for the both of you that say "I love my wife/mamma" on them!

Show your kid how to train your dragon and tell him that if he listens to a Blind Guardian he one day can fly his own dragon!

 

[DuchessOfDork]

PM me. It is my birthday and I want to see Sabaton.

BTW, the Sabaton show is going to have a lot of problems because Dream Theater plays the same night. Why is it that these shows always seem to conflict?

HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!

What a crappy coincidence, huh? XP It happens, though. My other friends are going to see Bush (LOLOLOLOL).